Team Profile

Please scroll down or use the links from the list below:

Officers

CHRIS WOOD

DAVID WILLIAMSON

MIKE NELSON

Support Staff

VICKI LEGRIS

LES NELSON

COLLEEN SMITH

Resource Planners

DAN MCDONALD

CHRIS HAUSERMAN

GIS Specialists

TODD HELLINGA

RYAN COATTA

Biological Services

LES ANTHONY

MARK WITTENBERG

HILARY LINDH

JANVIER DOIRE

AMBER LUNN

Environmental Services

LINDSAY REAR

CHRISTINE CUNLIFFE

LYDIA DURFELD

KEN McNAMARA

SARA BARKER

Mr. Wood has a background in physical geography and biogeography. Prior to forming Cascade Sierra Environmental, Inc and working with Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd, Chris operated his own company from BC's Southern Interior Region working primarily on Invasive Plant contracts, Ecosystem Mapping and Endangered Species Mapping. Between contracts Chris worked for the Ministry of Environment on developing Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA's) for endangered species under the provinces Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). From 1999-2005, he also periodically worked as a Specialist Instructor at the University of Victoria and a Lecturer at Okanagan University College (now UBC-O) teaching courses in physical geography.

Mr. Wood has been an active member of the cycling community in BC since 1991 when he began working with a local cycling club (in Salmon Arm BC) and the Ministry of Forests to build and maintain the primary set of mountain bike trails that are still in use today. In 1993 he attempted to become the youngest person to ever complete the Iditabike ultramarathon bike race in Alaska, and from 1998-2000 he competed as a Pro/Elite mountain bike racer. In recent years he has been an advocate of stewardship for trail users and helped to develop links between cyclist and non-profit groups including The Nature Trust of BC and The Land Conservancy of BC in the South Okanagan.

top of page

Mr. Williamson has worked in both public and private sectors, holding positions in Agriculture Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Esso Resources, Eldorado Nuclear, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Mines and Energy. With 20 years experience in environmental and resource development, he has focused on the resort industry during the past decade. Working for Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation, Mr. Williamson was responsible for supervising planning, construction activities, and liaising with government agencies for permits, licenses, and approvals relating to mountain development.

As a an officer of Cascasde Sierra Environmental, Inc, Mr Williamson coordinates and manages land use projects, applying his understanding of terrain analysis to a wide spectrum of environmental and land use issues. He has developed particular expertise in environmental inventory and assessment, as well as integrated land use and resource planning. He is a certified Wildlife/Danger Tree Assessor, and is qualified to conduct both GPS surveys and Visual Landscape Assessments. Mr. Williamson is a Certified Environmental Site Assessor with the Associated Environmental Assessors of Canada.

top of page

Mr. Nelson is a Registered Professional Biologist with expertise in fish and fish habitat, wetlands and freshwater ecology. In 1989, after having gained 8 years of professional experience both internationally and locally with Norecol Environmental Consultants and CP Rail, Mr. Nelson began to provide independent environmental consulting services in the field of aquatic biology. He has expertise in environmental impact assessments including limnological studies, aquatic biophysical data collection and interpretation, fish habitat inventories, benthic invertebrate studies, plankton studies, water and air quality monitoring programs, and construction supervision. Mr. Nelson also has experience working with the forest industry and the Forest Practices Code. As an officer of the firm, Mr. Nelson supervises the biological sciences arm of Cascade Sierra Environmental, Inc.

top of page

Ms Legris holds a Biology degree from the University of Nottingham. As the Office Administrator in our Whistler office, Vicki keeps things running smoothly, and is involved in final document preparation, water quality sampling and testing, fish licensing, and does most of our on-line data searches.

top of page

Mr. McDonald is Resource Planner with a background in environmental management and planning. Starting his environmental career in Australia, he worked for local government in resource planning for natural area protection, aquatic resource planning, and recreational land-use planning.

In his role as Resource Planner, he has managed and delivered projects that include environmental reviews for development, habitat assessments, recreational mountain bike planning, commercial recreation planning, LEED Neighbourhood Development planning, and environmental compliance monitoring and reporting for construction projects.

Mr. McDonald is on the Board of Directors for the Whistler Fisheries Stewardship Group and is a member of the International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA), the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC), and the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE).

top of page

Mr. Hauserman's background is pollution chemistry and environmental management. He has extensive experience in regulatory compliance and solving land management issues, including managing the impacts of: electricity generation and distribution; agriculture; major infrastructure developments; mineral extraction; waste management; and water and wastewater treatment. He has also developed an ISO 14000 compliant management system for an electricity distribution company in Australia.

Mr. Hauserman brings to CERG specialist skills in sustainable development. In his recent work in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, he led the program on reducing the global impact of UK food consumption and production. Prior to that, he was the chief architect of Protecting the Natural Environment chapter of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy and led the process of re-aligning the research and development needs across the natural environment policy portfolio to focus on adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

Mr. Hauserman is a trained facilitator and negotiator, and has developed his expertise in building consensus on complex and contentious resource management issues.

top of page

Mr. Hellinga has a background in Geography with a post graduate diploma in Geographic Information Systems. Working as the GIS Manager, he provides support to CERG's GIS analysis, which includes mapping support and production, data analysis, as well as GPS field work. Mr. Hellinga spent the two and a half years prior to joining CERG in 2005 working for a local Professional Land Surveying company and brings a knowledge of projects from the ground level, conducting land surveying field work, and leading a field crew. Prior to moving to Whistler, he spent two years at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources working as a GIS Technician editing coverages, updating cadastral fabric, as well as producing cartographic products relating to land ownership parcels.

Mr. Hellinga is an active trail user and avid mountain biker. He sits on the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association Board of Directors as the President, and participates in its weekly cross-country and downhill races, various trail maintenance nights, as well as other club events. Studying Geography in University he found particular interest in recreation issues and completed research on trails, the impact of various user groups on trails, and also the conflicts that can arise between various user groups. Mr. Hellinga has recently used his GIS, GPS, and cartography skills during the preparation of the Sea to Sky Trail Master Plan, Coquitlam Off-road cycling Strategy, Sea to Sky Corridor Cycling Strategy, and Kelowna Mountain Bike Trail Strategy.

top of page

Mr. Coatta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from the University of British Columbia and is an honours graduate of the BCIT Advanced Geographic Information Systems program. He has extensive experience accessing and processing remotely sensed data and has performed a wide range of analyses involving the integration and manipulation of spatial data. He has also gained considerable experience throughout his career designing custom GIS tools, performing GPS data collection, writing automated macro processing scripts, and creating database forms and functions for the purpose of spatial analyses and habitat modeling.

Throughout his education and career Mr. Coatta has shown a passion for computers and technology. His range of interests combined with his intuitive technical abilities has resulted in him becoming proficient in many different areas including GIS analysis, database management, computer programming, and web page design.

top of page

Dr. Leslie Anthony has a PhD in Zoology from the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum (1992), was a Post-doctoral Fellow, researcher and lecturer at McGill University (1993-95), and a Research Associate in the departments of Ichthyology and Herpetology and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at the Royal Ontario Museum (1993-2000). His areas of expertise are in herpetology, biogeography, evolutionary genetics and phylogenetic systematics.

Dr. Anthony has authored over 20 papers in refereed scientific journals and many un-refereed reports, book chapters and popular articles. Courses taught or led include vertebrate zoology, comparative vertebrate anatomy, herpetology, and graduate seminars in evolutionary theory. Relevant fieldwork, laboratory work and consulting experience includes bio-inventory and biodiversity evaluation of environmentally sensitive areas, riparian buffer strips, intertidal marine ecology, freshwater and marine invertebrate taxonomy, ichthyological and herpetological taxonomy, biochemical systematics (starch-gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry) and environmental toxicology. Expeditionary and directed-study fieldwork has been undertaken across Canada, the U.S., Baja, Armenia, Vietnam, Australia and the South Pacific.

top of page

Mr. Wittenberg is a Registered Professional Biologist with a wide range of experience both locally and internationally in marine and fresh water environments. Mr. Wittenberg has an expertise in conducting marine environmental impact assessments, marine biophysical data collection and interpretation, fresh water fish habitat inventories and water quality monitoring programs.

Mr. Wittenberg also has extensive experience working on large multidisciplinary projects including coastal zone management plans and port development for cargo and cruise ships. Mr. Wittenberg also has a specific expertise in the marine environment in the Caribbean and has several published papers on the effects of pollution on coral reefs and most recently has been involved in developing a research funding institution for the Caribbean region.

top of page

Ms. Lindh completed her Master of Science degree at the University of British Columbia in 2003 with an emphasis on ecological planning. Her degree project and subsequent publication in the Swiss journal Mountain Research and Development focused on approaches available for systematic selection of conservation reserves in mountain resort communities, specifically the Resort Municipality of Whistler, BC. Ms. Lindh also has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Utah.

Before arriving in British Columbia, Ms. Lindh was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Salt Lake Olympic Committee and served on its Environment and Venues sub-committee as well as its Environmental Advisory Committee. She has been involved in monitoring the commercial harvest of brine shrimp on the Great Salt Lake for the Utah Department of Natural Resources; a mark-recapture study of Northern flying squirrels for the US Forest Service in southeast Alaska; and with on-going winter studies of re-introduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park for the National Park Service.

At Cascade Environmental Ms. Lindh acts as the Wildlife Specialist in Segments 3 and 4 of the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project, prepares Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) screening reports, conducts environmental assessments including riparian area assessments under the Riparian Areas Regulation, and develops environmental and wildlife management plans for commercial recreation operators, independent hydroelectric construction projects, commercial and residential developments.

top of page

Mr. Doire is a Registered Professional Biologist with experience in fish biology, aquatic biology and construction monitoring. After completing both a Bachelor degree in Biology, and a Master degree in Environmental Sciences at the “Université du Québec à Montréal”, he worked in Quebec on different fish related projects such as a study of the influence of intensive fishing on growth and diet of fish from natural lakes of Northern Quebec, the restoration of a Yellow sturgeon spawning site on the Rivière des Prairies after the construction of an electrical dam, and the study of the impacts of heavy metal mining waste on the endocrine system of Yellow perch in the Rouyn-Noranda region.

Being a ski and snowboard enthusiast, Mr. Doire decided to experience the life in Whistler for the 2004 season. Five years have passed and he is still here enjoying the fishing, mountain biking, hiking and of course the snow!

With CERG, Mr. Doire has worked on different construction projects (Olympic alpine skiing venue, Fitzsimmons Creek gravel extraction 2007, Fitzsimmons Creek IPP, Fitzsimmons Creek debris barrier) and habitat monitoring/surveys (Rutherford Creek and Fitzsimmons Creek).

top of page

Ms. Lunn has a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Victoria and is an Applied Science Technologist of BC. She studied at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre where she gained valuable primary research, and animal care and handling experience. During her time with Cascade Environmental, she has taken part in numerous projects enabling her to gain broad experience on such topics as land use and environmental planning, government permitting and resource conservation.

Prior to joining Cascade, Ms. Lunn was a research assistant at the Taiheiyo Cement Central research and development laboratory in Tokyo, Japan where she was responsible for performing soil analysis by X-Ray Fluorescence and Pack Set Index testing for alternative fuels.

Ms. Lunn specializes in Riparian Area Regulation assessments, wildlife surveys and slavage including fish, amphibian, invertebrate and birds, environmental and water quality monitoring, and environmental permitting. Specific projects that Ms Lunn has recently participated in include: environmental monitoring and permitting for the construction of the Rainbow Lands neighbourhood; designed site specific revegetation plans for three Independent power projects at Harrison Lake, BC; and analysis of invertebrate and water samples collected from the Lillooet River.

top of page

Ms. Rear received her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Malaspina University-college and was employed at the Applied Environmental Research Laboratory in Nanaimo, BC, a world-class facility, where she completed two undergraduate theses. Her research involved photo-chemical wastewater remediation of leachates produced from wood sort piles on Vancouver Island.

Ms. Rear has taken part in numerous projects enabling her to gain broad experience on such topics as construction monitoring, land use planning, government permitting and Environmental Site Assessments (Preliminary Site Investigations) for potentially contaminated sites.

top of page

Ms. Cunliffe completed a degree in Biology at Dalhousie University, and a Diploma in Adventure Tourism at Thompson Rivers University. Christine’s background is primarily in the adventure tourism industry as a backcountry travel guide and instructor in Nova Scotia, Washington, and British Columbia. A desire to pursue an environmental career led Ms. Cunliffe to complete a Diploma in Environmental Engineering Technology at BCIT prior to joining Cascade Environmental in June of 2006. Since joining the Cascade team, she has gained experience in areas such as environmental monitoring, wildlife surveys, and fish salvage and relocation.

top of page

Ms Durfeld is currently completing her final course towards a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining Cascade Environmental, Miss Durfeld worked as a wildland fire crew leader for the Ministry of Forests and as a field technician for Durfeld Geological Management. She gained experience with forest rehabilitation, fuel management, tree assessment, site reclamation and GPS data collection. At Cascade, she carries out environmental monitoring, amphibian and fish salvages, data collection, tenure and license applications and Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments.

top of page

Mr. McNamara graduated from Sligo IT, Ireland with a degree in Environmental Science. His final year thesis focused on the toxicological impacts of the pesticide Ivermectin on benthic estuarine fauna. He has worked in CAEAL certified toxicology labs in Ireland and BC testing point source effluents. Other environmental projects have included constructed wetlands at Port Mellon, BC, zebra mussel surveys, salmonid fishery management and binary tag recovery. He has worked on a variety of projects in the Sea to Sky corridor, from installation of sewage treatment plant (Britannia Beach), Salmon research facilities (DFO West Vancouver), Whistler Olympic Park (Callaghan Valley), as well as custom home construction.

Mr. McNamara has extensive machine operating experience including excavator, front loader, backhoe, skidsteer, packer and rock truck; and is using this experience during his duties as Environmental Monitor for the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project. In the winter he likes to spend time at his mountain cabin where he also works part time as a cross country snow cat groomer.

top of page

Sara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from UBC. She has a diverse range of experience in environmental research, construction supervision, land surveying, geomatics and ecology. Prior to her employment with Cascade she gathered research for a variety of projects relating to fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, sediment transport, slope stability as well as plant ecology and wildlife surveys. She has also been involved in developing BMPs for riparian zones in the Forest Practices Code. Her primary role at Cascade will be to perform environmental monitoring for the Sea to Sky highway expansion project and other various Squamish-based development projects.

top of page